The Effect of the Fruit Pulp of Four Cultivars of Palmyrah on Serum Cholesterol Levels in Mice

Abstract

Four types of the most common paJrnyrah fruit pulp (Borassusflabel/ifer L) were chosen on the basis of morphology of fruit. On feeding to ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice at 10% level all types of pulp lowered total cholesterol in ICR mice by 24 - 34 % relative to control. Total cholesterol was lower in all types. The p values of total serum cholesterol were: 0.04,0.02,0.0035,0.0007 for type 1,II, III, IV respectively. The effect on HDL cholesterol was widely different for the 4 types of pulp. The mechanism of lowering of cholesterol appears complex, probably involving: dietary fibre, flabeUiferin profile and content and perhaps other factors. The well-known cholesterol reducing agents in plants, which are the free phytosterols, are not present in palmyrah fruit pulp.